3.4 or, Dinos at Home

Dear Miriam,

You came home at last!  You were gone for a whole month.  You traveled 5012 miles, which is quite a lot of driving.  It was much easier than last year, though, since your schedule was determined along the way, instead of before hand.  You got to visit the Thornes and Spencers in Indianapolis, which was really great.  And then you spent a week in Lower Michigan at Aunt Alice's cottage on Lake Michigan.  On the way back, you stopped to visit some of Grandpa Lam's family in St. Louis again, and you all went up in the big Arch.  I asked what you saw from so high up, and you said, "A large barge!"  That is a joke from the Okee Dokee Brothers album about the Mississippi River.  Then you went to Meramec Caverns, which you thought was pretty cool.  You got to see fireworks, and go on a hayride.  You also stopped at the Mesalands Dinosaur museum, and so you came home with yet another stuffed dinosaur and pink Dino Girl t-shirt.

Last summer, you drove through some terrible weather, and I was constantly calling Grandma to make sure you hadn't all blown away to Oz.  This summer, the weather was better, but you almost got delayed by a brush fire on your way home.  The last day that you were driving home, I had to call and warn you that Interstate 15 was closed due to a fire.  You were able to see the smoke from where you had camped near Barstow.  Fortunately, by the next morning, there were some lanes open and you were able to get through.

While you were gone, Dad and I started painting the family room.  It's much nicer.  It's a lighter green now, and the walls look clean and pretty.  Painting can be kind of a boring task, but the results are worth it.  Fortunately, this time, you didn't tell me that you liked the old color better.

We built a new climber, using real climbing holds.  It's much bigger than the other climber, which is good because I think you grew an inch while you were away.  Dad already has plans to make it even bigger, too, although that won't happen for another few years.  You like to be on top of it, pretending you're a lizard.  You always get squirrelly after dinner, so it's nice to be able to send you outside to play on the new climber.

The first night that you were home, we were walking upstairs to get ready for bed and you told me, "I was gone a long time, and you missed me."  Yes, you were, and yes, I did.

Love,
Mom


The fire on I15, on your way home:

Painting the family room:

Playing on the climber (in your new Dino Girl shirt):

Playing on Dad:

6.5 or, Home Through the Smoke

Dear Corbin,

You finally came home!  You were gone for a whole month.  You covered 5012 miles in the motor home.  Grandpa said it was those last 12 miles that were the really hard ones.

You got to visit some of Grandpa Lam's family in St. Louis.  Then you visited the Thornes and Spencers in Indy.  Then you visited Grandma Lam's family in lower Michigan.  You went up in the Gateway Arch, and down into the Meramec Cavern.  You played in sand on the beach and on sand dunes.  You got to see fireworks and go on a hay ride.  It was a much more relaxed trip this time, since you made up your schedule as you went along.  Last year, you drove through some tornado weather.  This year, the last day you were on the road, there was a wildfire on Interstate 15, just outside of LA County.  You had already stopped for the night near Barstow, but you could see and smell the smoke where you were camped.  Fortunately, by the next morning, there were a few lanes open on the highway, and you were able to come home.

While you were gone, Dad and I started painting the family room.  It's a much nicer, lighter, green.  It makes the whole room brighter.  Painting is not always my favorite thing to do, but it's pretty easy and the results are worth the effort.  After the family room, we'll have to see how hard it is for me to get Dad to do the living room.

We also made a new climber for the backyard.  That was more fun, seeing as how we got to use the new table saw.  We ordered climbing wall holds for it, so it's a real climbing cube.  You use it as a fort, stocking it with all of your swords and guns and army guys.  Sometimes it's a spider web, wrapped in the big orange yarn.  It's much larger than the other climber, and very heavy and sturdy.  So hopefully it will last for a long time.  Dad already has plans to add on to the top of it when you're older and need more climbing space.

I think that you got taller while you were gone.  I guess that makes sense.  You certainly got tan, which is ironic, since you went on vacation away from sunny CA.  You are lucky to be able to travel with Grandma and Grandpa.  I'm glad you're able to experience different places, and stay in touch with all of your relatives.  Travel is good for your mind, but coming home is good for your soul.

Love,
Mom


The fire:

New paint!

New climber!

Same family!